Sony, Tim Hortons Focus on Green

Canadian-based quick-service restaurant chain Tim Hortons has set a goal to reduce packaging by 5 percent across its supply chain and manufacturing operations by 2012, as well as to reduce energy and water consumption by 5 percent at new locations by 2011.

The company is also piloting two separate restaurant locations with energy saving features and environmentally friendly construction, with the goal to get LEED certification. Tim Hortons has 3015 locations in Canada and 563 in the U.S.

Electronics retailer Sony is also increasing its environmental efforts by instituting a “Road to Zero” plan which aims to have the company achieve a zero environmental footprint by 2050 through a reduction in waste and emissions as well as its use of materials such as petroleum-based virgin plastics. Sony’s efforts will focus on four areas, including climate change, resource conservation, control of chemical substances and biodiversity.

Focusing on the short term, by the end of fiscal year 2015 the company aims for a 30 percent reduction in annual energy consumption of its products; 10 percent reduction in product mass; 50 percent absolute reduction in waste generated; 14 percent reduction in transportation/logistic emissions; 16 percent reduction in packaging waste from incoming parts; 5 percent reduction in the ratio of virgin petroleum-based plastics; and an increase in waste recycling to more than 99 percent.